


Music and Hope

by sparetime_when



Series: New Songs and New Love [1]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Caring Graves, Credence Barebone Needs a Hug, Credence is 20, Domestic Violence, First Meetings, Fluff, Good Original Percival Graves, Graves isn't Grindelwald, I Blame Tumblr, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Strangers to Lovers, Touching, mentions of abuse, mentions of past non-con, they fall in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-11 11:10:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8977243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparetime_when/pseuds/sparetime_when
Summary: Graves and his band had a one-hit-wonder 22 years ago and now he just plays at small gigs. After meeting Credence one night, he starts thinking about going back to his solo career again.Credence is stuck at his foster home even at the age of 20, but after meeting Graves he has hope for a different life.





	1. That Day

**Author's Note:**

> Before you dive in I haven't read the book or watched the movie. So I have no idea why I thought this was a good idea, but this is an AU so maybe it wont be that bad. I blame tumblr for throwing me in the dumpster. Please tell me if there is any grammar/spelling mistakes, dyslexia is a fun thing to have.

Percival Graves came to the U.S. from Ireland at the age of 18 with only his band and guitar, that had been 20 years ago.

No longer as popular as he once was, Graves could care less about it, loving the peace and quiet. He still sings at small gigs then and there, no need to make money after the band's hit album.

After the drummer died the band broke up, the other band members ether stared families, joined other bands, or went back home.

Graves solo career had only lasted 4 years, the want to write new songs no longer there. Well not until that day it wasn't.

 

Credence, at the early age of 4 his parents died, with no other family he was put in foster care.

By the time he was 8 he formed a stutter, later that year he was adopted out to a up-and-coming church.  
His stutter got worse to the point where he became mute after being beaten badly for the first time.

He somehow found peace with God but nothing else.

Still trapped, stuck with that woman he learned to call mom and sisters who didn't care for him.

Even at the age of 20 he had no where and no one to go to, no hope. Well not until that day there was none.

 

That day Graves had driven two towns over to sing at a small bar and stage an old friend now owned.

Credence was able to walk around town that day but only for an hour or two before his 'mom' would notice.

Her grip on him was slipping as she got older, getting sicker as the years went on, no longer able to breath down his neck at all times.

It had gotten dark at an early hour, a sign that autumn was soon to start along with the breeze.

The town was on the small side but still brought a big crowd in on Saturday nights.

Graves was smoking a cigarette, walking around before his gig started, when he bumped into someone.

Graves crouched down picking up his pack of cigs and a guitar pick he dropped from the sidewalk.

He grabbed a worn leather bound journal handing it back to its' owner.

Slender hands took the book while stuttering an apologie "S-s-sorry, I-I.." he didn't finish his sentence once he looked Graves eyes.

He was so young and slim, his dark eyes felt like they could stare into his soul.

The feeling was not unwelcoming, in fact Graves felt like he should be the one stuttering as he stood to his full height.

 

The young man, no, the boy stood up too, but not all the way, he slouched his shoulders as if trying to hide himself.

It was only then he realized the boy had started stuttering again "I-I di-didn't mea-" the boy's voice was quiet and hoarse as if it hadn't been used in years.

"It's ok" Graves finally told the boy. Slender hands still seemed to shake, he uttered an other apology "I'm-I'm sorry".

Oh God, all Graves wanted to do was hug and protect this boy from the world.

"No harm done" he put a hand on the boy's shoulder hoping to calm him down.

Instantly the boy stopped shaking, he wanted so badly to caress his cheek as the boy looked into his soul.

The boy looked down, Graves remembered that he had some place to be "I should get going, I have a gig tonight" he didn't move his hand seeing how it calmed the boy "uh g-gi..gig?"

"yep" Graves held up the guitar pick up, the boy looked up at it then back at Graves.

 

God, he could write songs about those eyes and lips, even his stutter somehow seemed beautiful.

"you should come to the show". Graves moved his hand closer to the boy's neck but kept it on his shoulder.

The boy looked a little shocked and blushed. "I-I-I can't" he looked back down to his shoes "I h-have to be back soon and at-at sermon to-to help my m-m-m-mother in-in the morning".

Graves stepped closer to the boy and cupped the boy's face moving his thumb across his cheek,

the boy leaned into the touch looking at him once again "maybe next time?" Graves whispered, "I c-c-could try".

Graves could have kissed him, hug him and make the boy blush more but his phone buzzed "I have to go" Graves caressed his face one last time.

He grabbed one of the slender hands and gave him the guitar pick.


	2. ‘Crimson and clover’

“Same time, next week” Graves winked and walked away.

Graves got to the bar with one minute to spare, he sang, played his guitar and ended with ‘Crimson and clover’ 

The last time he sang it he was 17, still playing with the band at a bar in his home town. 

That night after driving back to his house, all he could think about was the boy.

Graves hadn't written a song in years, but there he was, guitar in hand and an old notebook in front of him. 

It felt wrong to fall for the boy, he was just a boy, a boy with a stutter walking back home and in the morning he would have to be a sermon. 

That's all he knew and that's all it took for him to want more.

Graves didn’t know what to do, he felt like a teenager again, but this was not some fling or a midlife crises where he showed off some lover half his age for couple of weeks.

He had heard so many stories of past artist finding themselves young and naive muses only to grow bored of them.

Over the week Graves was starting to go a little stir crazy, for the most of it he was sitting on his living room floor, papers scattered over the whole coffee table.

Writing a song was proving to be just as hard as he remembered, notes not matching the tone of the lyrics and he was beginning to repeat himself.

Graves had fallen asleep on the couch when someone knocked on his front door.

“You better have pants on this time” Queenie yelled half way through the door not expecting Graves to be right there.

“And here I thought you stopped writing” she pushed Graves feet aside, sitting next to him on the couch.

“Hello to you too and I did” he sat up and rubbed his neck hoping to subside some numbness.

“Well you could have fooled me” she picked up random papers, reading them to herself.

“How’s Jacob?” he knew trying to stop her would get him nowhere

“He’s happy like always, the bakery is really starting to pick up” Queenie re read a page “Did you meet someone?” she looked up from the notes.

Graves knew Queenie would get her way, It didn’t matter what he told her, she always had a way to read minds.

“How’s Tina?”

“She and Newt will be back in town next week, maybe we should all get dinner sometime and you can introduce us to this new someone, that’s if they're not some one night stand you met after a show.”

“He’s not” Graves said a little too bitterly, “he’s not” he said again, this time calmly 

“Maybe I should meet this guy?” Queenie looked up and raised her eyebrow “You seem to have feelings for him”

“Don’t want to scare him off on the first date” Graves cursed to himself just realizing what he just told Queenie

“You guys haven’t even had your first date and you’re writing songs about how much you love him?” Queenie waved the papers around.

“Who says the songs are about him?”

“You and I quote ‘only get into songwriting when you’re bored, in love, or heartbroken’” Queenie even imitated his Irish accent.

Who says I’m in love?” he was still tired, sleeping on the couch was not the best idea.

“You have!, it’s written all over these papers. ‘His like darkness creeping into my soul, the feeling not unwelcome, I want it all, him, his love and his darkness’ you have fallen hard” 

Graves took the page she was reading, looking it over, he really had fallen.

“What are you doing here anyways?” he wanted her to stop talking and for her to go.

“Making sure you don’t die witting love songs on your couch apparently, he’s going to break your heart” 

“I’m more concerned about him than myself” he should slap himself up side the head, Queenie could get anyone to talk and she didn’t have to say a thing.

Graves got up to go make coffee, Queenie followed sitting down at the island.

“Tell me about him”

“You read all I know about him” he pointed back at the coffee table.

“So when is your first date?”

“To night” his heart beat a little faster just thinking about it.

“I didn’t take you as a cradle robber”

“A what?” it was Graves turn to look at Queenie like she was crazy. 

“On one or two of those pages you put that he’s half your age, last time I checked you were 40 making your boy only 20, making you a cradle robber”

“I don’t go looking for 20 years old, he just happens to be one” 

“Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s cute, Daddy Graves and his baby boy” she wore her trademark smile with such pride

“Don’t ever call me that again” it was way too early to be talking about this, hell he’d be happy if they talked about this

“Of course, only your baby boy can call you that.” Graves could feel himself starting to blush.

“I need to take a picture or Teenie will never believe me” she took phone out, quickly snapped a photo and sent Tina the pic before he could do anything about it.

“Why do I even talk to you?” 

“Because I’m one of your only friends” Graves handed her a cup of coffee 

“So when do I get to meet this boy of yours?”  
“Hopefully never”

“Rude, you should stop by the bakery before your date, get your baby boy something”

“Yeah, I think he would like that”

“So you emit that his your baby boy”

“Only if he wants to be”

“I should get going, nice talking to you and I’m going to tell everyone about your baby boy, bye” Queenie left.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a scene in this chapter where Mary Lou beats Credence, it's not really graphic but I just wanted you guys to know.

Credence had talked for the first time in years, he wanted to talk to the man forever, tell him everything while the man held him close. 

Hope is the only way he could describe it, hope for more, hope for a different life. 

Credence was able to sneak back into the church without a problem. 

That night he prayed to God for a sign, a sign that this was meant to be.

 

The week went on like any other for Credence except for the smile he wore before he went to bed.

Saturday evening was another story, he had dropped a plate. All he could do was stare at the floor as the dish shattered.

Mary Lou came in the kitchen hearing the noise from the next room and there she found a shaking Credence on his knees trying to pick up the broken pieces. 

As soon as her heels were in his line of vision, Credence placed the broken plate down and removed his belt like he had done so many time before, so ‘Ma’ could punish him.

Credence stayed there while she beat him, biting his hand so he wouldn’t yell out loud in pain.

He learned a long time ago that fighting back, being loud, or crying made the punishment longer.

He didn’t know what she was yelling at him, the blood rushing to his ears was deafening.

It was only when she stopped he could make out what she was saying “ Clean this mess up, then yourself. I don’t want to see you in till the morning.” 

She threw his belt back at him and walked back to the next room.

Shaking hands picked the small pile of ceramic shards cleaning up his mess.

Credence went to his room and patched his back as best as he could, tears spilled down his face onto his the cuts on his hands.

A bruise started to form under the bite mark and little cuts came apparent from the thin lines of blood. 

He covered both with a torn cloth, doubt seemed to settled in the bottom of his stomach.

Doubt that he would never leave this place and that the man he was going to see later was going to be just as deceitful as Grindelwald had been.

The name rang in his ears causing his heart to ache, a mistake he made when he was 16, a sin he could never pray away or forgive himself for.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having to post this chapter using my phone, so hopefully the layout is fine. I'm moving house on new years and starting school again on Wednesday so it may be a wail before the next post.

Graves was in the alleyway next to the spot where he first saw the boy, he was nervous, playing with the paper bag that held pastry treats.

Queenie told Jacob everything and showed him the picture, that’s when the nerves really become a problem.

All four of his close friends knew about his date and how badly he had fallen after meeting the boy only once.

Maybe this was a mistake, maybe the boy didn’t like him in that way.

He was probably reading too much into it and was going to disappoint himself by crossing the line.

Looking up at the stars he prayed “ Dear god,please tell me his comin”

He was disrupted when he heard footsteps coming his way.

Graves looked up from his hands to find the boy from last Saturday night.

Graves didn't have a chance to say anything before the boy fell into his arms.

“I-I’m I’m sorry” Credence didn't know what he was doing or how he got here.

He remembered waking up, his throat dry and his eyes were puffy from crying.

He remembers listening to the old house creek, trying to see if anyone was up walking around.

Putting on his only coat, the sleeves too short to cover his long arms. Grabbing one of his journals, the only things he could call his own.

He snuck out, he went the way he always did to go to the park.

His heart started to hammer in his chest when he turned the corner.

He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but all of that went out the window when saw the man.

The man was nervous, playing with his hands like he himself did when Mary Lou wasn't looking.

Grindelwald had never been nervous, in fact the only emotion that he'd seen him wear was disgust and fake pity.

Credence heard him, no one had prayed for him before, no one had ever wanted him like that.

The man looked at him like he was the everything, he didn’t know what to do.

Credence came back to reality when he heard the man’s voice.

“it’s alright, you didn't do anything wrong”

Credence held on tightly to the man and cried into his neck.

If only he knew what he did, of the scars that marked each one the sins he committed and of the people who he let use him.

“y-y you don’t, I’ve-l’ve, I don’t deserve this” he didn’t know how to explain, he needed to explain.

Graves could hear the boy's pain, anger, and his need through the tears.

“it’s okay, you don’t need to tell me anything”

The tears didn't stop, the boy started to shake and his breathing become shallow.

He was going into a panic attack.

Graves pulled himself from the boy, moving his hands to cup the shaking face.

He bent down a little to look the boy in the eye.

“look at me, I care about you.”

Credence finally looked at the man, but tears didn't stop.

“I want you to be happy, to be cared for,that’s what you deserve, no matter what you have done.”

Credence closed his eyes and held onto one of the Graves hands.

“y-you don't mean that, you don't know, you can’t” Credence couldn't find the words tell him that he was lying.

“look at me, just look at me”

Credence wanted to turn away, to have never drag this man into sin with him.

“I-I need you t to kn-ow”

“Then tell me, I'm not going anywhere” Graves wanted him to know that no matter what he had done he wasn't going to leave him.

Graves held the boy again and kissed his temple “I'm not going anywhere, I promise. 

They stood there until Credence was no longer fighting for air.

“it - it was wrong, I-I sh-should have known”

Graves stayed silent, listening to him while carding his fingers through the short black hair.

“He, he” the grip on Graves jacket tightened

“I let him-him use me like, like, some kind of whore

I can never be-be clean be-cause of him

You-you can’t, you can’t”

“I'm broken, I'm used, I'm disgusting.”

Credence remembered what Grindelwald told him before he left 

“you're a used whore now, no one cares about used whores”

Graves felt his heart break for the boy

“ I don’t care what he did to you,

You're not broken, used, or disgusting,

You're not,

What you are is beautiful.

An angel I would steal the world for”

Credence wanted so badly to believe him.

He remembered what Mary Lou said to him when she found out about Grindelwald.

“you're the devil's child, I've tried to help you, but all you do is drag people down to hell with you”

“I-I can’t let you go to hell just because of me”

Graves took the boy's face into his hands once again, making the pricing dark eyes looking up at him.

“I'm gonna burn in hell for a lot of things, but loving you is never going to why I end up there”

Credence backed away from the man and tried to clean the tears off his face with his sleeve.

“W-wh-what?”his voice cracked

Graves didn't mean to say that out loud, but he meant every word of it.

“I'm madly in love with you and I don’t even know your name”

The boy just looked at him.

“Y-You don't m-m-ean it”

“yes I do, I mean it with ounce of my heart and soul, I love you.

What do I have to do to prove it to you?”

“I-I don't know, I hav-have to go."

He had been out too long, Mary Lou was going to notice if he didn't get back soon.

Credence went to turn away, but the man took one of his hands

“wait” Graves picked up the bag that was from the bakery.

“I got this for you, it's just some pastries”

The boy looked down at the bag in his hands.

“th-thank you”

“You don't have to thank me, I'll take care of you, protect you, no matter what I love you”

Credence wanted to cry again

“S-same time, n-ext week?”

“of course”


	5. 'Rivers of Babylon'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New years, I'm having to post this on my phone again. It's just another chapter of Queenie and Graves talking. Hope you like it.

Tuesday morning Queenie had welcomed herself into his house again.

This time to find Graves in his kitchen sitting on top of the island counter, playing the guitar, singing 'Rivers of Babylon'.

She leaned against the door frame listening to him sing.

“Are all you rock in’ roll types this weird or is it just you?”

“You tell me, I'm not the only singer you know”

“Tina only sang in her room, I was the one who had to drag her up on stage at her first gig”

“I know, I was there, you almost pulled her arm off.”

Queenie went the Graves fridge in search of food after working a 12 hour shift.

“I take it that your date with baby boy when well”

Graves turned over to face Queenie

“You could say that”

Queenie took some leftover pasta from the fridge, grabbed a fork and sat on top of the counter opposite of Graves.

“What happened?”

“long story short, he cried a lot, I told him I love him, he didn't believe me and the kicker is I still don't know his name.”

“wow, you don't beat around the bush, do you?

So are you guys going out again or are you singing out of heartbreak?”

“I get to see him again Saturday night.”

“ good, then maybe you can get your baby boy's name”

Queenie finished of the pasta and Graves made coffee

“didn't you have the ER shift tonight”

“yep, nothing too bad happened, but there was this one guy who got in a bar fight, ended up with 2 centimeters of glass in his eye and drove to the ER himself.”

“sounds about right for a Monday night”

“Did you really tell him that you love him?”

“yes, he was starting to panic so I made sure he knew I wasn't going to leave him”

“and he didn't say it back?”

“he didn't have to,now can you stop interrogating?”

“ok, Mr. Love struck grumpy pants”

“how did you even became a doctor?”

“by my charm and good looks, got to go”

Queenie was up and out the door before Graves could say bye.

  
Queenie did this all the time, pop in to say hi, get some new info, maybe some food and then ‘poof’ She was gone


	6. Baby boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like a total asshat for taking so long to update and the fact that this update is so short. I hope you like it and hopefully I will have some more up as well.

Credence made it back home late, everyone was asleep.

 He couldn't stop the smile forming on his face even if he wanted to.

His face was red and puffy, his back was sore, and the cuts on his hand had reopened, but the smile stood.

Credence ate both the pastries, one strawberry and the other orange.

The sugar left a dull ache in the bottom of his stomach from not being used to something so sweet.

Credence tried to sleep, he needed to sleep to be able to wake up early for church.

 He couldn't find himself caring about tomorrow.

He just laid there, guitar pick in his hand, close to his heart, thinking about next Saturday.

 

Credence soon found out that hope came with worry.

At first it was a small dout, he started to pick at the scabs on his hands.

Then it got to the point that on Wednesday morning he couldn't hand out pamphlets for the church.

 He stood there like a statue, thinking about how Grindelwald tricked him, trying to figure out if this new man was doing the same.

At noon the church bells rang loudly, waking Credence from his daze.

Looking down at the pamphlets, not a one was handed out.

He stopped looking at what was written on them a long time ago.

He couldn't stop himself this time, the words rang in his head like Mary Lou’s voice. 

‘sinners are among us, gays, fags of different types, living in sin and teaching this sin’

Credence felt sick to his stomach, he ran to the alleyway, it made him feel safe in someway.

He sat down on the cold pavement and began to tear each pamphlet one by one.

His hand shuk and the tiers started.

When he ran out of papers he took off the cloth wrapping his hand.

He didn't pick at them this time, he just stared at the scars.

“baby boy?”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at me finally posting the next chapter, I have been trying to make longer post but you know life happens. I hope you like.

Graves had came to town earlier after getting a call from Seraphina.

“You can tune a piano, right?”

“Yeah, you've seen me do it before, you can't?” Graves had fallen asleep on the couch again, something he need to stop doing he wasn’t 18 anymore.

“I’m a bartender, not Billy Joel, you know I only play bass”

“Ok, ok when do you need me down there?”

“As soon as possible, I’m having blues singer on tonight and I told her I had a one”

“I do this and foods on the house”

“Make it here by 1 and we have a deal”

Graves could thank Seraphina, she was the reason he met the boy in the first place.

If he hadn’t gone and played at her bar that Saturday night he would have never found his baby boy.

But he wasn't going to, you compliment Seraphina in any away it would go straight to her head.

 

Graves walked down the same alleyway as last time, there he found the boy sitting against the wall, paler than normal, shaking, face covered in tears and torn paper scattered around him.

“Baby boy?”

Credence wiped his face with the back of his hands, Graves saw the scabs that marked his palmes.

He sat next to him and pulled at one of the boy’s hands to get a closer look.

“D-d-don’t” Credence wanted to fight back, but once he looked up to see the man's’ face he stopped, letting his hand be taken.

“Who did this to you?” Graves voice was drowned in concern, the cuts looked irritated and pervious scares marked the boys’ hand.

“I-i-it was was my f-fault” Credence could feel the tears starting to come down his face again

“Hey, look at me” Graves held his face like he had done the last time the boy cried

Graves could see the shame written all over his face.

If the boy didn't want to talk about then he didn't need to.

“You hangry?” Credence nodded yes.

“I’ll buy you something to eat, but only after you tell me your name” He smiled at his baby boy

Credence couldn’t help but giggle, it sounded so foreign, he couldn’t remember the last time he laughed.

To Graves it was like music to his ears

“Ok then I’ll go first, I’m Percival Graves, most just call me Graves, some friends call me Percy, I sometimes write songs and sing”

Graves held out his hand as if they were meeting for the first time and were going to shake hands

Credence laughed again and smiled, he wiped his face with his hands one last time.

“c-c-Creden, Credence Barebone”

They smiled at each other until Graves broke the silence.

“Come on, let's get some meat on your bones” Graves sounded so much like his mother, Dublin accent and all.

Credence could see the sadness in Graves eyes.

“D-did I-I do something wr-wrong?”

“What?, no, no, I was just thinking about my mother”

“Y-Your mother?”

“Yes, she past away a couple years ago”

“Oh, s-s-sorry I, I di-didn’t mean to br-bring her up, I, I,”

Graves stood up from the ground and helped Credence stand.

“she would have loved you, you know that baby boy.”

To Credence, Graves seemed to always say the right thing.

“r-really?”

“really, baby boy. Now I could have sworn I promised you some food.”  
Graves couldn't help himself from calling him baby boy, every time he said it Credence cheeks turned a dark shade of pink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that they finally know each others names. Kudos or comment or both if you like (p.s. I love them both) (p.s.s they make my day)


	8. Chapter 8

Credence walked closely to Graves as they made their way to the bar.

He wanted so badly to hold Graves hand, but the risk of one Ma’s kids seeing and telling her sent shivers down his back.

He would have a hard enough time if she found out he was walking around town with a strange man let alone found holding his hand.

 “the place we're going to is the same one I had my gig the day I bumped into you”

Graves fingered he should talk the boy seeing how Credence looked uncomfortable with the other people around and he should probably warn baby boy about Seraphina.

 “the bar is owned by old band member of mine, she needs me to tune a piano for her”

 “y-y-you ca-an do that?” Credence hated talking in public.

 “ I can tune almost anything, mom taught me. Piano was the first instrument I learned to play too.”

Graves almost walked passed the bar.

“Before we go in, Seraphina can be a little, um, rough to get to know, she doesn't mean to, she just has some trust issues, don’t let her push you around.”

Credence gave a confused look, but nodded to go in.

A voice from behind the bar startled Credence.

“You’re late Percy”

“Yeah, yeah, I know” Graves greeted the woman

Graves pointed to a booth close to the front of the stage “go sit down and I’ll get you something to eat, love”

The woman eyed them both, but didn’t say a word until Credence was out of earshot.

“Queenie said something about you seeing someone, someone you called ‘baby boy’ the thing she didn’t tell me is that your sleeping around some altar boy, is he even 18?”

“Queenie is going to be jealous you got to meet him before she did” Percy was starting to question the women he decided to talk to.

“The piano on the stage and I’ll get your ‘baby boy’ some food maybe some answers too”

“Be nice, he means no harm” Graves walked to the stage.

“Yeah, you’ll be saying that until the day he breaks your heart.” this time Seraphina talked loud enough for Credence to hear.

The thought of breaking anyone's heart made Credence heart ache, he knew the feeling of betrayal and would never wish that on Mr. Graves  


Credence watched as Graves took the front panel off the piano and slowly pressed the keys, listening to every note.

“Here you go altar boy” Seraphina set down a bowl of soup and some bread in front of the boy and sat next to him.

“Th-thank y-y” before Credence could finish Seraphina got straight to the point.

“What game are you trying to play on Percy?”

“W-w-what?” Credence just looked at her wide eyed

“You know what I’m talking about, you gonna steal all his money while his blind sighted or are you in for the long-con, out live him so you get the life insurance too”

Credence felt a tear drop from his eye, he tried to wipe it way before she noticed.

“Now here comes the crocodile tears, so I’m guessing you’re going for the long con.”

“Y-y-you do-don’t under-stand, I-I would n-n-never”

Credence felt weak, any time he tried to talk to someone he ended up in tears.

He couldn’t leave with Seraphina in the way.

He wiped his tears away with his sleeves and looked Seraphina in the eyes.

“He-he me-means a lot to you?” Seraphina was taken back.

“I don’t have a lot of friends, so yes”

“W-well I’ve never h-have had a-a friend, so-so he means the world to-to m-m-me”

Seraphina felt like a grade A asshole, she got up and went back to the kitchen.

Credence calmed down and started to eat, the soup was still warm and tasted homemade, nothing like the can stuff he had to eat at home.

Seraphina came back about 15 minutes later with another helping of bread and a mug of tea for the boy.

“I’m, how do I put this, I’m sorry”

Seraphina sat back down this time across from Credence trying to find her words.

“About 5 years back I fell in love, got backstabbed, he took most of my money, long story short all I have is this bar. I don’t want that to happen to Percy.”

“ok, I got your piano in shape, what’s going on?”

Graves had gotten off the stage without either noticing.

“i have determined that he’s good enough to be your baby boy”

Graves sat next to Credence, putting his arm around his waist.

“ the stamp of approval from Seraphina, looks like I picked the right one.”

Credence curled in a little to Precy has he blushed.

Graves held him closer and kiss his temple.

“you guys are sickening, foods on the house”

Seraphina walked back to the bar and made a phone call.

“come on you need to eat, little dove”

Graves got Credence to set up some what straighter and started feeding him, taking one or two spoon fulls for himself.

“Seraphina cooked for the band when we first started out

“w-what happened?”

“To the band?”

Credence knobbed yes.

“the drummer died from an overdose, my mother died a year later and no one wanted to make music any more”

The same sadness covered Graves face like before when he was talking about his mom.

“I’m sorry”

“It’s alright, it happened a long time ago.”

They finished the food, said their goodbyes to Seraphina and walked around town, this time Credence held on to Percy's hand.

 

They ended up at the alleyway where it all had started.

The sun was starting to set, Credence stopped dead in his tracks.

He couldn’t go back, he knew that Ma had most likely sent someone out looking for him, and that once he made it back home he would be punished.

Warm arms embraced him, “what’s wrong baby boy?”

“I-I can’t go back, she-she’ll, Ma will hit me again” the scars on his back were on fire.

At one time he thought that Mary Lou was a real mother and that she really did care for him, but looking back he knew it was all a lie.

That if this was sin he would happily burn in hell for loving the only man who cared for him.

“Then come home with me, you’ll have your own room and I’ll protect you, she won’t be able to hurt you”

Graves should have known, back when he was young, a neighbor boy had the same sad look, it wasn’t until later that year he found out that the boy’s father was a mean drunk after the boy took his own life because of it.

“You’ll never have to go back, I promise, I love you”

They stood there for what felt like hours.

“We should get going, you’re going to get a cold if we stay out here anylonger, baby boy.”

  
Graves kept his arm around Credence waist, holding him tightly by his side as they walked to the car.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it please comment, kudos, or both. I'm not going to lie I have no idea how often I will post.  
> You can find me on tumblr, sparetime-where.tumblr.com


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